doug e lewis

ah, thank you Jacques, if i was thinking i would have looked up the smith's name myself. though now i must check period names, no help please. can only learn by doing it myself [these don't just roll off the top of your head, do they? i mean, you do have look it up just like us mortals, right??] so, another Bungo smith! i have started researching Bungo in depth, since they seem not to be held in very high esteem by some collectors, yet all comments on them by historical sourses say they were known for their sharpness. maybe not as arty as other schools?? doug e

HI Ruben, your knives look great. i also collect edged weapons of any kind, new or old, though my main study and cultural interest is in nihonto and all things Japanese [mostly old, but some new -- must be current when ivisit Japan someday] you will probably find information on the knives you mentioned, and other edged weapons from around the world in Sword Forum International [see links section at top of page]. great forum for many countries weapons, including Japan. hope to see you here again. newbie, doug e s

Hi shawn, the members responding before me have light-years more knowledge than me, but if i may venture comment or two. if the sword is from WW1, i do not think there was such a thing as an NCO sword. that is a WWII designation, and would probably mean gunto [not traditionally made]. if from WWI, where Japan was on the Allied side, it would mostly likely be a gendito, ie made after 1876, or an older blade -- family heirloom, maybe. how it is mounted might be one clue. showing pictures of the whole sword, fittings, and anything else that might have accompanied it [bag, shirasaya with sayageki [kangi writing on shirasaya which is plain wood storage scabard]. now if the kanji on the nakago has a date --- Nobody translated that so i am guessing there was none ---- that would answer most questions. now, what school, etc, need picutes. [not for me, for those in NMB who really know someything about nihonto. thank you for sharing your grandfather's sword with us. doug e

HI Ian, the range of tools availble to the "police" of an Edo period town is very interesting. Bloodless, yes, so intended, but those spikes look nasty, and i am sure some samurai din't not go quietly, especially after a flask or two of sake. as an adjunct to traditional nihonto study, research into the methods used to control samurai in the peaceful Edo years might be interesting an provide cultural context. if just to provide a more complete picture of the society of the time. i know that one of those police tools was used in the Sengoku period by ashigaru to pull samurai from their horse or trip up the horse itself. the one used to grab a sleeve. [but were any of the other two used in Koto times?? not as interesting as the Muramasa discussion recently on NMB, but fun anyway, no? doug e

thanks for the pics, Todd. do you happen to know what era they are from? from what i was able to find out so far they look to be late Edo [1840 - 1876]. tho the early early post-sword prohibition police might have found use for them with non-compliant samurai. maybe? i still think LAPD would love to be able to use them in crowd control. doug e

HI Dr. Barrett, your words ring true. i think we all have an ideal of how a person should live their lives and act toward other people. Most of the time we all fall short of that ideal, but the idea is each day get a little closer. the venal nature of humankind being what it is, the concept of somethings artistic value, merit or worth will eventually be clouded to some degree by need to assess its monetary value. to my brother the sword lying naked on his bedroom floor was a macho toy, to me it was a work of art, an antique that demanded i rescue it and give it the same respect i would my tiffany lamp, though it is, as far as i could tell, only a late Koto ichikuzu katana. it is a point of view, a philosophy if you will, that not everyone shares. to their loss, i think. just my naive opinion. doug e

Thank you Dr. B, i did a quick look up in Wipedia, and they look NASTY. police weapons, huh. can see the LAPD using them in the gang control unit. so just cast iron. were not something similar used in battle to pull a rider off his horse? items for a pole arms collector, not for nihonto-philo, i would think. doug e

Hi eric, this is exactly what i like about NMB. i have never heard of "sodegarami and a sasumata" . i am guessing they are pole arms of some variation of a naginata, but dangerous to assume ANTTHING concerning samurai weapons. better do some research. will tell wife i will plant the new trees tomorrow, got something better to do today. doug e

Hey Todd, why not donate those polearms you mentioned (naginate, yari ?)?? still would love to see pics --- i so rarely see such weapons still mounted and not cut down to a wakisaki. doug

did miss it?? there was hostility? there has been some horse___t, but no more than one usually sees in nihonto postings in any forum. he's selling off his grandfather's estate, people, not making new friends, or trying learn a new hobby. and he came here to this forum, i hope, because he was told the members are knowledgeable, honest (when it comes down to important stuff), and friendly. plus eager to share their knowledge with other members and strangers. [which is an ego thing, in a way] i met some great people here --- though i have yet to meet any of them. Rich Turner, Clive Sinclare, Darcy, Moriyama-san, Peter Farra, Peirs, Jean, Stephen, et al. all have been willing to share their hard earned knowledge with me; and i never owned a sword until i rescued one from my brother's bedroom floor [naked blade, also!!]. a few tsuba, courtesy of my metal restoration friend who introduced me to the beauty of the world of nihonto, and patient teaching of nihonto from my sayashi friend, Mike Vergadamo. but my biggest source of knowledge, especially giving me directions to go for reading and study, has been the Nihonto Message Board. it is sad if Todd is soured by this, IMHO, unnecessary and uncommon rudeness on the NMB. plus i wanted to see the naginatas he might have. not that i can buy them. just bought a new obi which went beyond my tax time budget. but i like to look at pretty, sharp, old metal weapons. i apoligise if i ruffled anybody's feathers or bruised tender egos. hope i don't get shunned for this. doug e

Hi todd, can't wait to see the new stuff. some of the things you have put up for sale i have only read about & maybe seen a picture/print. of course other members have been much more fortunate, so may be old jingasa to them, especially those who visited or live in Japan [Nobody around?] and i recall you mentioning "armpoles"? probably "polearms", which mean naginata or yari, most likely. got pitures? imho i totally agree with the member's opinion above. especially concerning the sword fittings. finding matching menuki, fusha, etc is difficult. but if ya got a crane tsuba, crane menuki, and the rest match .... that's after all how usually were meant to be on a sword. I don't that you would get significantly more $$ selling the parts rather than the whole. doug e

Congradulations Todd!! hope she's the one,for as a wise-ass sage once said, "marriage is the leading cause of divorce" what i ment was take the swords to a sword club like, New York Metropolitan Japanese Sword Club. check the Links section above. i think they would give you the most honest appraisal, and if ya make an appointment so they can gather a few of the knowledgeable members, you would not spen too much time. doug e

Todd, just to be selfish ... you might try giving the members here at the old NMB first look for a week. we have a Sales forum. check with Brian, one of the moderators, re details/allowability. doug e

Hi Todd aka goinlower6969 (posting was unsigned), i thought that might be your situation. i guess i would like to see more stuff at one time, but you ain't running a store so it takes time to make photos, post, etc. i would love to see any Japanese prints, even if just copies; old Japanese copies of woodblock prints would still be great [an original Hiroshige would be beyond my $$ means. i tryed to get some of the menuki, and the chop sticks, but they rapidly went beyond the limit my wife gave me to spend. i guess i am not very adept in this on-lie action thing. more used to seeing a set price and saying yes or no you probably already got this advise, but anyway... take the swords to the main sword club in New York City. they, i am sure,would be pleased to evaluate them FAIRLY, and thrilled to see such a goup of swords they have not seen before. IMHO a sword store, antique shop, etc, could not be trusted to give you a fair evaluation; they have their own agenda, and while they may not be trying to rip you off, they would, as businessmen, try to under value them so they might get them. i am sure you have been told this, or being a bright gaijin, figured it out yourself. waiting for more stuff. doug e

Morning Stephen, so he is going to release the stuff from granpa's attic treasure chest slowing ... must not be in any hurry to liquidate the estate, or maybe that is the way to get top dollar. smart or no? i just want to see everything, now! the carving on these newest peonies seems dull, not well defined, and even off in some places. the metal looks flat to me. so not late Edo, but Showa, or maybe [as a friend suggested] gunto! i am going to pass. wife very particular about quality .... except, possibly, in husbands. doug e

SUPER baZZa, looking forward to your evaluation and critical appraisal once flask is in your hands. some of Todd's stuff looks nice, interesting ---others, like the tsuba, i just can't get excited over. i missed by one dollar getting the flower menuki. i guess i was asleep when closing time came. oh well, i have my eye on other stuff. his grandfather sure collected an odd assortment of Japanese "stuff" again, congrats!!! doug e

thank you Keith, you summariezed much of what i have been told by others, and i guess knew myself instinctively. as always "cavet emptor" i will now go somewhere else to buy a set of [reasonably priced ?] menuki for my wife's b'day coming in 2 months. she loves the furniture, but only tolerates my sword interest because they go on the swords. have a great day doug e

thank you Piers, and my dictionary shows juji is the root for several other words, like "jujika" - meaning a cross, or add one moe kanji "put a person on the cross: crucify. plus juji with different kanji be engaged in (labor, business) to learn so much from looking at beautiful art -- and my wife thinks i waste to much time on this hobby. doug e

I know, Jean, very sad but i did read early Japanese poetry, Tale of Genji, Basho, and some histories before i was 18; started my training in Shoto-kan karate-do in 1972; then was given Yoshindo Yoshiarwa's wonderful book by a friend who does metal restoration of nihonto in 1988 --- then i was hooked. nihonto --- like climbing Mt. Fuji. a long, hard, slow trip, but the view is worth it. doug e

now i see it. it is the character "+" said "ju" , meaning the number ten. i guess the vertical line looked longer enough to me to confuse my red headed mind. super art work, John. thanks for sharing. doug e

Hi John. so the banner was used at one time before the majority of christen samurai left. maybe before Higo was divided? i was curious as i did recall Kato Yoshiaki on the list of major christian diamyos. might not this sashimono cause some disention in the ranks of samurai not christian. doug e

Hi John, looking thru your samurai banners (super, but i told you that before about your site) a sashimono caught my eye because of the highly styleized cross on it. after a little research is found that Kato Yoshiaki was diamyo of Aizu in the 1620s -1630 something. he served Hydioshi & the Tokagawas in the 1580s & on, considered one of Seven Spears of Ieyasu, etc. ( quick reference sourse: Wikpedia) my question --- his lands were central Honshu, and no indication from what iwas reading that he was a Christian diamyo.... so why the cross? if don't recall [should look it up and rely on shakey memory] it being a symbol in buddhism. and shinto .... no i don't think so. any thoughts on the matter? (thanks for the heads up re new stuff on your site) doug e

all i have heard much vitriol and angst over a blade that has not even been seen. i have not been collecting since 1973; or 1980, or what have you. i have one sword, an ichikuzu of the Uda school, ca. 1560 --- or so a sayashi friend of mine [who some of you may know -- Mike V. in Pasadena -- suggested after a brief look. as soon as i fix my leaking roof i will post pictures for comment and ridicule. as i did with the tsuba & meuki it was mounted with. but without seeing a photo of the blade in question in this thread, then why all the attitude and hot air. [me included] IMHO doug e

john may be on to something the sword was forged by Martians who secretly visited Nippon in the mid-Kamakura Era, and taught secret sword forging techiques to Masamune. :lol: doug e

hey all, i amy be confused --- we are talking about a 20th century sword, no? then why the mention of "yasutsugu shimosaka" [i corrected what i thought was a misspell] from After the beginning of the Edo period, Musashi province attracted swordsmiths from all over Japan including Omi, Yamashiro and Mino. Of the schools working in this area in Shinto times, the Echizen Yasatsugu's group was especially well known. The first-generation Yasutsugu received the character YASU in his name from Tokugawa Ieyasu and became the kaji to the shogun, forging high-quality swords (including utushimono of soshu blades by Masamune and Sadamune). so what did i miss? is this sword supposed to be by a smith in the family/tradition. yours in blissfull ignorance doug e